Cupboard latch



Jan. l, 1929.

F. W. MCCORMICK CUPBOARD LATCH Filed Oct. 18, 1926 Patented Jan. Y1, 1929.

euren Yerase FRED MCCORMICK, OF GRANDRAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

cUPBoARD LATCH.

Application filed October 18, 1926.- Serial No. 142,256.

This invention relates to a cupboard latch and is primarily concerned with the economical production of a very simple, practical, durable and etlicient latch which may be manufactured at very low cost and yet be of finished appearance and very satisfactory in operation. It is to these ends that my invention is directed. i

For an understanding of the invention and the constructions embodying the same, reference may be had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is an elevation showing the latch applied to a door, the keeper therefor being applied to the door casing or jam.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section through the latch.

F ig. 3 is an enlarged under plan view of the latch with the latch bolt in outell position.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the latch bolt retracted. y l,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the outer casing of the latch, and

Fig. 6 is a perspectiveview of thelatch bolt. n,

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawing.

The latch is to be applied to a door, indicated at 1, near a vertical edge thereof and to engage with a keeper which is attached to the door casing or jam 2 near a vertical edge of the door jam.

ln the construction of thel latch an outer housing or casing of sheet metal is made which includes a central shallow trough or channel 3 from each side edge of which the metal is extended outwardly and curved downwardly as indicated at 4 and thence extends outwardly to make the ears 5 through which screws or similar fastenings are passed to attach the same to the door 1. The housing or casing at the edges of said ears is provided with a downturned rim 6 and it has ends and 8 which join integrally with said rim. In one of the ends, that indicated at 7,

an opening 9 is cut through which the latch bolt extends. The latch housing or casing is stamped from a single piece of sheet metal and very cheap to make. f

rlhe latch bolt 10 is of meta-l somewhat wider than the width of the channel guide 3. On its upper side it is provided with a pro'- jection 11 of rectancgmlark outline, the width of which is such that it may freely slide between the sides of the channel guide, while its height is substantiall7 equal to the depth of said channel guide. The adjacent portions of thebolt 10 extending laterally under the part 4 of the housing, as sho-wn in Fig. 2. The bolt at onerend is formed with a beveled extension 12 which passes through the opening 9 in the end 7 of the latch housing.

The latch bolt is formed with an elongated slot 13 through it and at each side and at its inner end with lateral project-ions14 which extend below the lower side of the bolt 10 making the extensions 15, as shown. The upper ends of the part-s 14 are fiat as indicated at 14a and lie directly underneath the lateral portions 4 of the housing, one at each side of the channel guide 3 and prevent any tilting of the bolt the inner end ofthe bolt an angular projection 16 is made back of the rear end of the slot 13 and this serves tolimit the` retraction of the bolt when it' strikes against the end 8 of the housing or is in the position substantialn ly likethat shown in Fig. 4.

An operating member for the latch bolt is providedconsisting of a stud 17 which passes through a suitable opening in the top of the housing or casing, and through the slot 13 in the bolt, being `formed, directly above said housing, with an annular enlarged collar 18 which bears against the outer side of the channel guide 3. The stud 17 is thence extended farther outward, as indicated at 19 and terminates in a suitable knob 20 which may be grasped to be turned by hand. The inner end of the stud 17 has a sheet metal rocker arm 21 riveted thereto, the opposed projecting arms of which lie in front of the two feet 15 previously described. It is evident that on turning the stud 17 about its longitudinal axis by means of the knob 20, the rocker member 21 is rocked and, irrespective of which direction the stud is turned, the bolt will be moved from the position shown in Fig. 3 to or toward that shown in Fig. 4. A coiled spring 22 is disposed in the slot 13 between the outer end of said slot and the relatively fixed stud 17. The inward movement of the bolt on its retraction compresses the spring so that on release of the knob 2O the spring moves the bolt outward or to the poabout its longitudinal axis. `tV

sition shown in Fig. 3, it being stopped when the connecting portion 16 at the rear end of the slot 13 comes against the stud 17.

When the latch is secured lto the door 1 as shown in Fig'. 1 the projecting end 12 of the latch bolt extends across the meeting ledges of the door and the door jam-2. filieeper 2li has ears 25 through which screws pass to fasten the keeper on the door and it is=loeated so that the beveled end ot the latch boltl extension 12 Will ride against a side of the keeper retracting the bolt automatically until kit comes to an opening in the side .oiI the keeper in to which it will pass. The .keeper being' of old and well -lnoivn construction will not be tui-ther specifically described.

This latch ot simple construction but is very satisfactory vin operation. rThe channel guide 3in lwhich the projecting portion 11 of the latch bolt rides serves toguide the'bolt in its reciprocations and holds itrom any tendency vto swing laterally-in eitlieimdireo- `tion/from a straight reciprocatory movement,rirrespective of the application of the force which moves the bolt to one oi the feet 15 at appoint considerably to one side oi' the rlongitudinal ilXiS ot the bolt. The rear projection 16 on Athe bolt makes avery effective Stop tolimit the movement of the bolt so thatthe outer extension 12 thereof is rnever moved back so tar that it will lpass Within the housing or casing. Moreover the closing of the rear end o the bolt baclroi the slot 13 adds `to .the strength and durability and rigidity of the bolt. The construction has proved very practical. The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming Within their scope.

l claim:

r1. In a latch, a housing of sheet metal formed in its outer side with an elongated guide, a latch bolt slidably received in said guide to hold the bolt against lateral movemenu-adjacent portions oi" the holt near said projections extending under adjacent portions ofthe housing near the guide and thereby holding the bolt against tilting aboutits longitudinal axis, manually operable means for reti-acting the bolt, and spring means for normally projecting the bolt outwardly at one side of the housing. j

2. In a latch, a housing of sheet metal formed in its vouter side with an elongated channel shaped guide and 'having' an open inner side, a latch bolt `narrower Vthan said housing located within said housing and having allez-:tension to Ienter said guide, said latchbolt having an elongated opening therethrough yand also hzwing` a lug at each side thereof, an operating member pivotally mounted in the housing `and extending` through the elongated opening in the latch bolt and an arm fixed to the inner end of the operating member in a position to retain the latch bolt within the housing, the opposite ends oi' said arm being adapted to respectively engage the lugs on 'the latchbolt for aetudiinY the same.

In testimony `whereof I ailix my signature.

FRED W. 'MCCORMCIQ 

